


Reasons Why Nori Is Happy Today

by denytheworld



Series: Reasons Why [1]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Behold my three OTPs, F/M, M/M, Nori is a Little Shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-11
Updated: 2014-02-11
Packaged: 2018-01-11 22:30:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1178733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/denytheworld/pseuds/denytheworld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A day in the life of Nori of Ri</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reasons Why Nori Is Happy Today

**Author's Note:**

> I think the reason I write drabbles is because I lack the attention span for long multi-chapter projects. 
> 
> Hope you like it anyway :)

It's not yet dawn and Nori is awake. Beside him, he feels the solid warmth of another dwarf and it takes him a moment to realize, yes, _he's still asleep_. The red-haired dwarf inhales slowly - revelling in the tight pull as his lungs took in far too much air, and tries his best to stretch while remaining relatively in place. It goes without saying that it did nothing to ease the stiffness of his joints. But it would not do to rouse his bedmate so early. He intends on being long gone and his side of the bed being chilled as a steel blade before Dwalin, son of Fundin, even opens an eye.

The grouchy warrior was always up before him and it annoyed Nori a little. He never thought himself a lazy dwarf but it seems Dwalin always woke before him and it would make a dwarf feel downright slovenly. Whether Dwalin realized how much it irked him, he didn't know. But Nori wouldn't put it past the guard to purposely wake earlier for the sole purpose of annoying Nori the Thief.

_Today was going to be a good day._

**Reason 1:** Woke up before Dwalin

Despite being awake, Nori spends a few moments in bed. In bed, though he was reluctant to refer to it as _his_. It's _Dwalin's_ bed though he's been spending more time in it than in his own recently, so it's not _really_ Dwalin's anymore - but not _theirs_. _The_ bed, perhaps? No, the thief dismisses it after rolling it around in his head, weighing the word - it sounds too official. It was a nice bed, sturdy and comfortable and it came with a hulking mass of warm muscle known as Dwalin, son of Fundin.

Waking up in bed with _Dwalin_ was new still and it makes his skin crawl if he's not careful enough to think about it the _right_ way. He never fucks the same person twice and he's been fucking Dwalin a good long while. It's become a habit - good or bad, who's to know? But he likes it well enough. Nori shifts carefully under the blankets and arranges himself carefully on his side to get a better view of Dwalin in his slumber.

He looks like a _baby_ , was the first thought in Nori's mind. It took biting into a fist to stop his snickering (or at least muffle them enough) but it was _true_. Dwalin looked like an oversized tattooed baby with the way he slept, curled in but arms reaching out. _No one would believe me_ _if I told them Dwalin cuddles and sleeps like a baby._

He might try spreading it later. If only to be awful and embarrass Dwalin.

He had been on such good behaviour, long enough to give Dwalin some false sense of security. _Someone_ ought to keep the dwarf on his toes and it's not like there was enough decent folk (read: _riffraff and scoundrels like Nori_ ) in Erebor to do so just yet.

 **Reason 2:** Woke up in bed _with_ Dwalin

After a few more amusing and progressively indecent thoughts about his lover, Nori steals away and gets dressed. It takes very little time now that he's used to Dwalin's room. He even manages to put his hair into a few serviceable braids without a mirror and not _nearly_ enough hair ties or clasps. On a whim, he leaves by the front door. He's up so early even _Balin_ wasn't up - and that pleases him even more.

With their being members of Thorin's company and their status as _Heroes_ , with a capital letter and everything else that comes along with it, the brothers of Ri were elevated quite high in station. So much so that their family apartments were not too far off from where Dwalin and Balin's were. Nori's own private set of apartments were somewhere _elsewhere_. He didn't want to live with Dori and Ori but he did drop in on the two (at the worst times, Dori tells him).

He picks the lock to the front door because he feels like it even though he has a key and knows that the spare was hidden behind an inconspicuous marker denoting the owners of said residence. It was good to keep in practice and _click!_ Slipping inside, Nori is careful to be silent. While it was still early, he wouldn't put it past Dori to be up and he _really_ didn't want to hear a lecture or _worse_ be subjected to an interrogation.

It wouldn't be the first time he snuck home in the early morning and it certainly wouldn't be the last. But at least, if it does come to an interrogation, he could look Dori square in the face and tell him he hadn't done something illegal. Unless getting buggered right and proper by a noble was a crime. Now _that_ was a thought.

But no, Nori _won't_ tell Dori. The news might break him.

It was a good home they found, with a room for each of them though the last he checked his own had been used as storage. It came with a pantry and kitchen, a front room for guests and a more private family den among other things. It was in the general direction of the pantry that Nori headed, intent on breakfast. When he'd passed by the place yesterday, Dori had been baking and his sweet tooth begged to be satisfied.

The pantry wasn't large enough to satisfy a Hobbit (Bilbo had looked dismayed at the size of the pantries here in Erebor) but it was certainly enough for three dwarves who were never at home long enough to eat. Humming a little human sea ditty he'd picked up the last time he'd been near a port town, Nori plundered, eating as he searched and generally making a mess.

He _could_ keep things tidy and slip out _truly_ unnoticed, but if he didn't leave some signs behind, Dori would get worried that he'd off and died in some ditch somewhere. And Dori might be upset that he had nothing to nag about - the old fussy mother-hen that he was. You just can't win with Dori. Poor Ori, now that he thought about it.

Speaking of Ori, Nori finds his younger brother sprawled out over the writing desk in their family den with quill still in hand. Moving in closer to see just what Ori had been doing, he sees a battered anthology of short stories he recognizes as Bilbo's. Their Hobbit was extremely well-read and Ori had taken to him rather quickly. It wouldn't be beyond Bilbo's generosity to lend the book to Ori. And Ori, he deduced, had decided to make his own copy. The words were neat and tidy if not for the last few, which had a slight slant probably due to Ori's own exhaustion. Ori would be upset once he sees it.

Still, Nori frowns as he pulls the feather quill out from Ori's firm fingers, sleeping in such a position was uncomfortable and Dori would have his head for not sleeping. No, Ori probably feigned sleep long enough to appease Dori and then had snuck out to continue his work. Nori was almost proud - his brother still had some rebellious spirit in him left.

It was no good to leave him here. He stuffed the rest of the jelly roll into his mouth and pulled Ori's sleeping frame into his arms. He'd wanted to put Ori to bed without the younger dwarf noticing but Ori was heavier since the last he was carried and Nori was not _quite_ so strong. He jerked a bit before he could recover his balance and from the swaying, Ori woke, "Nori?"

"Shhh!" Nori hissed. Ori's sleepy murmur was still far too grating in the early morning silence. And Dori could be up. "Do you _want_ Dori to hear?"

"Right. Right. I was..." Ori trailed off, closing his eyes and yawned into his chest. "...working."

"And now, you're sleeping, so sleep." Nori replies, feeling a flood of fondness rush through him. "I'll get you to bed." 

"Night, Nori..."

 **Reason Three:** Stole Breakfast and saw Ori

After breakfast, returning Ori to his bed and getting rid of any and all evidence that Ori had been anywhere _but_ in bed all night, Nori snuck out _without_ an encounter with Dori, which was perfect.

By the time he arrived at the markets, the vendors were opening shop. There wasn't much he wanted but he did spend some time talking to the merchants and shopkeepers. It was reconnaissance at its finest though Nori saw it as more of a hobby. Dori wasn't the only one who liked his gossip.

It wasn't like he could meet informants and his more shadier associates like he used to before Erebor. Respectable Nori the Hero had to bid farewell to back alleyways. It was probably for the best since Dwalin just _might_ get the wrong idea if he emerged from a shady alley without him. These days, Nori spends his time finding creative ways to get information out and in. He's even had a few over for tea. Erebor was still far from full but the beginnings of a good information network had been set up for Nori and Nori's use only.

He might consider sharing with Thorin - if he asked nicely.  And speaking of His Majesty, it was about time he headed over to court.

 **Reason Four:** Gossip - er... Collecting Information

Nori hears them before he sees them.

The Princes Fili and Kili of the Line of Durin, Thorin Oakenshield's heirs and beloved sister-sons, were _loud_. Granted, they were still considered young despite being of age in the eyes of their people. Things certainly weren't dull with the two brothers around though both were capable of showing great maturity at intervals.

Nori liked the princes - they were friendly and found his previous occupation interesting instead of shameful. They'd accosted him on occasion for pointers - _not_ that he'd shared anything _too_ irredeemably dishonourable but he'd been happy for the audience and company. They certainly weren't like Ori who was quiet and shy. Nori wasn't as censored around them. And since they weren't his brothers, Nori also found that his usual inexhaustible patience for their antics ran out much more quickly.

Fortunately for him, they hadn't noticed him. They were too busy bickering and Nori had almost left them to find Thorin when his ears pick up a none too quiet hiss - "I'm _not_ getting married to Hierra! She has _no teeth_!"

Well, well, well...

Nori doubles back without breaking stride and tails the two princes for the better part of an hour. He leaves the pair when they return to their respective chambers, one grumbling about difficult older brothers and the other cursing _elves_ of all things. Feeling interested for the time being, Nori decides that this matter deserves looking after.

Now where was Thorin?

 **Reason Five:** The Princes have a secret and Nori was going to have it.

Thorin was hiding behind a stone column and was outright glowering at their little Hobbit burglar as he poked around the rock gardens. There was a look of yearning on that little face and Nori suspected Bilbo was missing his much greener garden back West. "Good day, _Your Highness_." Nori greets in his most obnoxious tone as he sidles past. "You might want to try blinking."

And his suggestion wasn't just teasing, this time. Thorin was still and it was the slight stiffening of those shoulders alone that indicated he had heard Nori's words. "You look like you're considering a quick beheading." Nori continues on, turning his gaze onto their hobbit as well. He was poking around at the balanced rocks and he hopes the hobbit had good enough reflexes to dodge should he actually manage to cause one to fall.

"The only beheading I'll be ordering would be _yours_ , Nori." Well then, someone was obviously too forlorn and heartbroken to take a joke. He had heard very little of Thorin and Bilbo's situation but he figured they were still _not_ speaking. The Line of Durin produced quite a sullen folk and that gives reason to wonder just what went wrong - right? - with Fili and Kili.

"Now, now," Nori snickers, "I'm on your side, my _magnanimous liege_. That unblinking gaze of yours is unnerving for even a dwarf. I doubt it'll be conducive to calming frayed hobbit nerves, you know. Have you tried... I don't know... _smiling_?"

He suspects the only reason he escaped a good cuffing was Dwalin's rather timely arrival and Bilbo's own uncertain wave to them in greeting. Thorin looks like he's swallowed a lemon whole at the sight of Bilbo's greeting.

Before he was led (more like pushed away from Thorin), Nori managed to hiss out a parting shot, "Go tell him you _love_ him. And try grovelling."

 **Reason Six:** Thorin's melodramatics 


End file.
